Digital painting, for folks who continue to be unaware, is a skill form in which traditional painting techniques are demonstrated using digital tools in computer software, or a digitizing tablet and stylus. The “artist” uses painting techniques to create the digital painting on the computer. Contained in the programs are brushes which can be digitally styled to portray the original style of painting as with oils, acrylics, and water paint.
Creating with the effectation of charcoal, pen, and pastels can be an available tool. In most programs, the user can even create their very own brush style using both shape and texture, that will be important in bringing traditional and digital painting together as an authentic looking product.
Although digital painting is definitely a fascinating subject if you ask me, and I believe it’s amazing how a technique is executed in minutes nft when it normally takes days to obtain the same effect by hand, I can’t help but think it eliminates the integrity of an actual painting done with a truly skilled artist. With “digital” painting there is no real artistic talent used in applying the techniques which can be mimicked by digital painting programs. They’re applied by using digital tools in the computer software. It’s hard for a traditional artist to consider a person using this sort of software as authentic. Not to say they don’t have an “eye” for color or have too little vision, but think about the skill of actually using physical mediums and tools? Not forgetting the feeling of accomplishment that is included with finishing a painting that’s been lovingly labored on for some time, mixing paint to obtain an ideal color, and, by trial and error, getting that effect you’ve been striving to achieve. The complete style of the artist is different.
Many traditional artists are very physical with their paintings and uses hands, feet, clothes and other things that to get a certain effect or texture. They like to combine the paints by having an actual palette knife, use mediums to adjust the paints, apply the paints to an actual surface, and work a painting until it is completed with great satisfaction. They especially appreciate learning from mistakes made and skillfully correcting them… not by selecting “undo” in a software program, but by hand.
I can easily see where it would be tempting to use a digital program just for the fact you have a palette of a million colors to select from, and the ability to take back mistakes in an instant. However, it’s still apparent if you ask me these digital programs should be properly used primarily for work and school projects or on a professional level for graphic designers. Fine artists who desire a hands-on relationship with painting mediums and their smells, canvases and their textures, and the general messiness of using their fingers as tools should stay authentic and true to their craft.
